The World Backwards
by Ninnik Nishukan
Summary: A collection of mega-drabbles/short stories set during the movie. Spoilers, of course. Roxanne/Megamind.
1. Cautiously Optimistic

**Cautiously Optimistic**

Ninnik Nishukan

* * *

**Summary:** "The city parks are restored to their original glory, the streets the safest they've been, the banks reopened! Has something _happened_ to Megamind? Has someone tamed this monster? This is Roxanne Ritchi, cautiously optimistic and pleasantly confused."

* * *

Roxanne couldn't seem to finish eating her late dinner. Whenever she picked up her fork, she ended up just dropping it again, and turning her head to stare out the window. These last few weeks with Bernard had been just what she'd needed, and random memories of their conversations, his engaged, excited smile and the warm feeling of his hand in hers had a tendency to distract her at work. Tonight, however, she was preoccupied with someone else.

She and Bernard had been able to actually have a _picnic on the grass_ in the park a few days ago because Megamind had cleaned up the city.

She and Bernard had been able to go look at some of her favorite pieces of art again because Megamind had put everything back where he found it.

Tonight as she was walking home from work, there had been brainbots patrolling the streets. None of her coworkers had been mugged for two weeks, including her, and she'd been interviewing many citizens who'd all said the same thing. Because of Megamind.

And yesterday, the banks reopened because Megamind had returned all the money he stole during his first week as the ruler of Metro City.

What in the world was going _on_? Why would he start out by terrorizing them like that and then all of a sudden do a complete one-eighty?

What could _possibly_ have happened to him?

_Why_ was he changing? Or _was_ he really changing? Was he perhaps just lulling them into a false sense of security so it'd be _that _much worse when he struck again?

She had to know.

Dropping her fork again onto her plate with a clatter, she started tapping her fingernails on the kitchen table. Her loud, impatient sigh echoed through her high-ceilinged apartment.

Couldn't she just…well, couldn't she just go over there and _ask_ him?

After all, he'd never harmed her _before_, and since he'd finally taken over the city, she could see no reason he could have to harm her _now_. Besides, it'd be worth it to put herself in danger if she could get to the bottom of all this and figure out what was going to happen with the city.

She glanced at her watch. It was getting kind of late, but he was a mad scientist, so he was bound to still be up, right?

Slowly starting to warm up to the idea, her curiosity got the better of her in the end, so she picked up her shoes and went to the door—

Out of nowhere, the horrifying sight of Metro Man's skeleton, lying in a crumpled heap under his curiously undamaged cape, flashed across her mind.

She couldn't believe she'd been able to push that fact to the back of her mind long enough to even _consider_ actually _visiting_ that—_ that_—

_Maybe Megamind isn't so bad after all_, Bernard had remarked as they'd joyfully wandered through the Metro City Museum of Art, looking at all the restored paintings. Perhaps he'd been right, but Megamind was still _bad_. If anything, he was _less_ bad, that was all.

Making speculations on the nine o'clock news about what his motives were for doing something constructive with the city was _one_ thing. _This_, on the other hand, was sort of unforgivable. She couldn't let herself forget that the city had lost its hero due to Megamind just because he'd done something positive _recently_. It'd been shamefully easy, though, considering she hadn't seen Megamind as a real threat for many, many years.

But he was a threat _now_, and she couldn't let herself forget it.

It had to be some sort of ploy. She and Bernard would just have to make the most out of having a clean, safe city at their disposal while they still could.

Dropping her shoes on the floor by the door, she went to get ready for bed instead.

* * *

**Author's note:** More longish drabbles to come. I can't seem to stop writing about this movie. :D Those who want to can join me and other Megamind fans at the megamind_movie LiveJournal community. :)


	2. Weird at My School

**Weird ****at My School**

Ninnik Nishukan

* * *

**Summary:** "Hmm. It's too bad that we didn't go to the same school." 'Cause you _know_ he was fantasizing about it after she said that. Title stolen from the song of the same name by The Pixies.

* * *

A sea of dumbfounded faces was the sight that met him as he stepped across the threshold of his first school, dressed in a bright orange prison suit with shackles on his wrists, and being accompanied by two prison guards.

Oh yeah…and then there was the giant, blue head and the talking fish. Couldn't forget _those_ accessories. Don't leave home without 'em.

He smiled nervously at the group of astonished kids. Nobody seemed to or be able to or to want to return the gesture. Some of the smaller kids were even starting to look frightened, like they were about to burst into tears. Even the teacher looked utterly lost and perplexed.

He'd been looking forward to this transfer for weeks, months, he'd been so excited— he'd been on his best behavior _ever_ since he'd received the offer, he really _had_—but now he was starting to worry if all his hard work had been for nothing.

Color rose to his cheeks and he tried not to squirm as he noticed that some of the kids were beginning to get over the worst of their initial alarm over discovering who their new classmate was. Some of them were now sending him dirty looks, especially that big kid with the swirly bangs—

He froze, an ominous feeling washing over him. Was that—? That couldn't really be—? No, it— _could_ it?

"So _you're_ the new guy."

Startled, he turned to his left, where he voice had come from. A girl was standing there, right in front of him. In awe, he stared openly at her. There were no girls back home, in prison. The only female he'd ever spoken to after he came to Earth had been the social worker who'd arranged this unfamiliar new learning experience for him. His eyes lingered on the girl, taking in all the details; the big, blue eyes, the short, brown ponytail, the pink sneakers, the blue jeans and the red T-shirt. For some reason, it had a picture of a pony on it.

What fascinated him the most, however, was the complete lack of fear in her facial expression and body language.

He could only nod.

"Welcome, newbie! I'm Roxanne," she greeted him brightly, smiling at him and sticking out her hand for him to shake. When she raised an eyebrow at him, he realized he'd just been standing there, gawking dumbly at her. He turned to the guards with a pleading look, and to his surprise, they nodded curtly at him and removed his shackles. Clearing his throat, he hurriedly balanced Minion on one arm and reached the other out towards the girl.

When she took his hand in a firm grip and shook it, he felt like all the air had been knocked out of him. It occurred to him that he was in fact not remembering to breathe.

"Huh," Roxanne commented, tilting her head at him. "You don't even feel any different from me."

He stole a gulp of air, then, trying not to make a sound. But she was wrong; he _did_ feel different from her. Because _he_ didn't feel like sunlight and sparkles and candy and the thrill of building a brand new invention made flesh—

Roxanne let go of his hand; a sense of loss rattled through his chest. "But why are you blue and everything?" She asked bluntly.

"I, uh…I'm not exactly from around here," he managed to press out, humiliated over how small his voice sounded and hoping she wouldn't ask him to elaborate.

And comprehension dawned on Roxanne's face. "Oh, right— you're an _alien_, just like _that_ kid!" She declared, pointing her thumb at the big kid with the fancy hair, who was now floating in mid-air, glaring suspiciously down at them. When Roxanne mentioned him, he opened his mouth to say something, but it seemed the boy couldn't think of any real objections to that, and remained quiet.

Now he was sure it _had_ to be the same kid who'd been racing towards Earth with him, all those years ago.

His heart soared. So then he wasn't the only alien, at least…even if the other boy looked _annoyingly_ _normal_ compared to him.

Roxanne turned to the teacher. "Miss Lane, can we please go outside so I can show him the playground and everything?"

The teacher simply nodded, still staring. It was obvious that she was more than happy to even _momentarily_ post-pone having to deal with a blue, bald alien child who'd been raised in a prison.

He quickly followed Roxanne out the door, relieved to get away from all the prying eyes. When Roxanne leaned closer and whispered conspiratorially next to his ear as they walked—

"I'm kinda new here, too. Only been here a couple of weeks."

—he didn't even care that his two prison guards lumbered warily after them into the playground, settling themselves on a bench nearby to watch him like a couple of hawks.

_Roxanne_ didn't seem to mind it, either.

"Wow, so you must be like a big time crook or something, huh?" She joked, glancing at the two guards. A jittery laugh slipped out of him, making him fidget in embarrassment. She grinned. She really was taking all this with an unexpected amount of calm, but he supposed it was no wonder she wasn't scared when he was acting so _goofy_. Yet, he couldn't work up all that much irritation at himself; not when things were going so well.

"Cool fish, by the way," Roxanne remarked casually as they were inspecting the swing set. She even patted him on the back, rendering him speechless. It was a good thing she handled most of the talking, because Minion didn't utter a peep, either. He wasn't sure whether this was because his servant was respectfully awaiting his orders or if he was simply as full of wonderment about the situation as his master was.

He couldn't remember much after that; it was all just a swirl of blurry shapes and friendly, but indistinct words as she showed him the rest of the school and what sort of homework they usually got. What he _could_ remember, though, was the sense of companionship. She didn't ask him that many questions; didn't ask him why he was there, didn't even ask him his _name_, but that was exactly what he wanted. He just wanted to listen to somebody else talk for once. He'd mostly been talking to himself inside his head all his life, and was afraid of what might come out of there if she started digging…if it would drive her away.

But she didn't ask, and things were just…amazing. Hazy, but amazing.

The dream kept him pleasantly absent-minded the entire morning. Not even two and a half cups of coffee or Minion's concerned, prodding elbow seemed to be able to snap him out of it.

_It's too bad that we didn't go to the same school._

It had to be one of the best things anyone had _ever _said to him. It made him feel like somebody had lit a candle somewhere inside him; in the figurative sense, of course, not in the ouchy-burny way.

He'd done some background checks on her, of course, back when he'd been plotting to kidnap her for the first time. It'd turned out she'd been at the top of her class in college, where she'd made the Dean's List every year and had been the chief editor of the college newspaper. Many of her articles had even been published in more prestigious newspapers and magazines.

And he knew they were about the same age.

So maybe she _could've_ been sent to the Lil' Gifted School at the same time he'd been, perhaps in some kind of alternate universe.

Maybe, maybe not.

It was a wonderful fantasy, anyway.

* * *

The next time the dream came to him, it was different. It was still his first day of school, and Roxanne was still there, but this time, she asked too many questions, and he just _couldn't stop talking_. He lost his head completely and revealed too much, said so many stupid, _stupid_ things that in the end she left him there, alone in the playground.

Regardless of his loud cries of objection, the guards shackled him up to take him home again.

"You've had your chance," they said. As they dragged him away, he caught sight of the other alien kid hovering beyond the school window, making faces at him.

Megamind snorted as he jerked awake. He'd fallen asleep in his big, black swivel chair. The lair was completely quiet, which meant that Minion had probably powered down already. Yawning, he decided to go to bed, trying to ignore the haunting feelings of panic and humiliation from the dream.

He'd won! He ruled the city! So why was it that he could _still _lose, even if it was just in his dreams?

It simply wasn't fair.

He hadn't _had_ his chance. He _still_ had it, and he'd _keep_ it. Things were going _his_ way for once. And tomorrow, he was going on another date with Roxanne. She'd never leave him, because she'd never find out who he really was, and now that he'd tasted _real_ freedom, he'd never, ever go back to prison.

Never.

He was worthy now.

He was.

He _was_.

* * *

**Summary: **If the first dream seemed corny, it's because it's supposed to be Mega's dream/fantasy, and not necessarily what I personally think would've actually happened if they'd gone to school together.

Just thought it might be interesting to weave any unconscious guilt Megamind might've felt about tricking Roxy into the inevitable fantasy you know he must've had about them going to school together after she made that comment. I made it an actual dream instead of his own (awake) speculations about the concept, though.

Mega has a big secret, and is likely to harbour an unconscious or conscious fear of Roxy's nosy reporter skills. Therefore he wanted to avoid questions in the dream.

**Miss Lane:** A lazy nod to Lois, I guess.

More mega-drabbles on the way.


	3. According to No Plan

**According to No Plan**

Ninnik Nishukan

* * *

**Summary:**_ "_The night you dumped me. Alone. In the rain." Title stolen from the song of the same name by the band Broadcast.

* * *

_I can't see nothing good__  
__And nothing is so bad__  
__I never had a chance__  
__To explain exactly what I meant_

_Nylon Smile_, Portishead (2008)

* * *

The restaurant had been like walking into his old school house for the first time all over again. The shocked stares, the stiff, fight-or-flight body language of his horrified audience— he couldn't get out of that restaurant fast enough. At the time, it'd felt almost like a blessing to have somebody to chase after.

When she'd reached her, however, the closed-off, pained expression on her face caused his mind to come to a screeching halt. He'd started out with determination, but then the electric brain impulses that controlled his mouth seemed to fizzle out and die. After a certain point, after he'd blurted out the only defence he could think of— _book by its cover, book by its cover_— he'd lost all ability to speak.

_I can explain_, he'd claimed, but then he'd barely managed to get a single word out. He'd just stood there, still as a statue, staring at her.

She'd always managed to make him lose his place, make him forget his thoughts and say stupid things instead or nothing at all, even back then…so why should _now_ be any different?

_It __**should've**__ been_, some small part of him begged, _it was __**supposed**__ to be._

They'd gotten to _know_ each other, _trust_ each other— except she thought she was putting her trust in _Bernard_, who was the kinda guy who wanted to _defend_ the city, not terrorize its citizens by using the city as his own personal playground.

That was why he'd had no idea what to say. He'd been in the grip of emotional intoxication for weeks, and had kept pushing the moral implications of what he'd been doing to the back of his mind, simply for the sake of gaining continued access to the irresistible taste of pure happiness. _She'll never find out_, he'd bragged to Minion, _that's the point of lying!_ What she didn't know couldn't harm her, that's what he'd been telling herself; that's how he'd been _fooling_ himself. Being confronted with what he'd actually been doing, that he _had_ been inevitably leading up to truly hurting her, _her_, _HER_— it'd been like a super-powered punch to the face, and he certainly knew what _those_ felt like.

He sighed. He should've waited until she'd calmed down, he should've thought things through, should've written a dazzling speech. He was so good at those.

He hadn't made a plan, he realized. For once in his adult life, he hadn't planned ahead, hadn't had any real agenda. He'd more or less just been fumbling himself along the wall of a dark room, hoping to find the light switch. He'd had absolutely no idea what he'd been doing. He'd been working with nothing but an intense emotional need and social instincts that had never had the chance to get even _adequately_ honed, let alone perfected.

Yet somehow, she'd seemed to _like_ him. That was probably why he'd lost control. Why he'd just kept going, despite Minion's warnings and the alarm bells ringing in his own head, which had become increasingly silent with each date.

How ironic was it then, that the one time he _didn't_ have a nefarious purpose, didn't have an angle, didn't have a master plan, heck, didn't even have a clue what would happen from one moment to the next…that was the _one_ time where she was _finally_ convinced that he was indeed the sinister manipulator he'd strived to be all these years?

Didn't _that_ just take the proverbial cake?

Tired of walking aimlessly around in the rain, getting himself increasingly wetter and colder, he headed home. Minion would still be there. He _had_ to be.

Perhaps that was part of the reason why Minion had been so upset about his feelings for Roxanne. She was a wild card, the outcome of their relationship unpredictable, and Minion, like himself, was used to predictability and planning.

He _should've_ planned a way to make it all okay, but he'd been desperate not to lose her, so he'd just gone running after her.

Now that he'd realized how much he'd truly upset her, though, he wondered if he should've just let her be instead of only making it worse for her.

Maybe it would've been better if he'd just let her believe he didn't have any feelings for her at all, that he'd only done it because he'd been evil and _bored_ or something— maybe that would've been less painful for them both.

He wondered if she hated him now, or if she was simply hurt and confused. He wondered if she'd looked back. He wasn't so sure if _he'd_ have looked back if he'd been in _her_ place. He wasn't sure if his ego would have been able to deal with something like that. For that matter, he had no idea if he could deal with being dumped, particularly when he knew it'd been all his own fault. He couldn't even dislike her.

Roxanne had been _right_.

_Minion_ had been right, too. He was a bad guy, and the bad guy didn't get the girl. He shouldn't have tried to stray from his rightful place in the world.

He'd deprived her beloved city of its hero and had intended to keep lying to her indefinitely.

If she _had_ looked back, he probably didn't deserve it.

* * *

**Author's note:** I seem to have gone a little lyrics crazy. The lyrics will always be only snippets, though, and only quoted at the top of the story, _never_ during the story itself. That stuff's just disruptive, which is why I don't like songfics. :P You can always skip looking at the lyrics if you feel like it— it's basically just me having some fun. :D

By the way, the reason I call these short stories/mega-drabbles isn't because it's about Megamind—it's because the only thing that actually qualifies as a drabble is a story that's EXACTLY a hundred words long; no more, no less. That's the correct definition of a drabble, just in case anybody's wondering. Anything else can't be called a drabble. ;)

For some _really_ good Megamind drabbles (exactly a hundred words!), go visit the Live Journal of mekosuchinae, AKA Memlu. :)


	4. Evil Hearted You

**Evil H****earted You**

Ninnik Nishukan

* * *

**Summary:** "You _destroyed_ Metro Man, you took over the city…and then, you actually got me to _care_ about you! Why are you so _evil_? _Tricking_ me? What could you _possibly_ hope to gain?"

* * *

_Evil hearted you__  
__You kept kidding me along__  
__With your phoney smile__  
__And with__ y__our siren song_

_Smiling, beguiling_

_You lead me on 'til all hope's gone_

_Evil Hearted You_, The Yardbirds (1965)

* * *

That night, she'd expected to come home with a spring in her step, chuckling to herself over something amusing Bernard had said. She'd expected the same kind of warm fuzzies tingling in her belly that she normally got from being around him.

When she got home, she was wet, frozen and shivering and had never felt more betrayed, furious or confused.

She lay awake most of the night, mind swirling with humiliation and regret, going over every tiny little detail of all their moments together, feeling like an idiot and wondering if she should've _known_ it was really _him_ when he'd said or done _this _or_ that_—

But she'd never known he'd had the ability to look however he wanted all along. Whenever he'd abducted her, he'd always looked like himself.

How was she supposed to have _known_, she tried to reassure herself, but it didn't quite help. She still felt utterly _conned_.

When she finally woke up the next day, she was queasy, almost like she was experiencing some kind of a hangover. It was a good thing it was her day off.

Gah, at least things with "Bernard" had never gotten to the point where she'd told her _parents_ about him. That would've been just— gah.

As she stood in her kitchen, watching the coffee brewing, a disturbing notion crossed her mind. How far would he have let it develop? He'd _kissed_ her! Would he have taken her to _bed_ while she was still stupidly love-struck over "Bernard", too? Would he _really_ have gone that far in tricking her?

The thought sent spidery fingers of panic up and down her spine.

First _Hal_, and now _this_! What a _spectacular_ evening she'd had! Which other _pleasant little surprises_ did life have in store for her? Because it was already _too much_.

Had it been any _other_ supervillain than Megamind, she supposed she wouldn't even have _questioned_ how far they'd be willing to go. She would've just assumed the worst. It was that silly sense of _familiarity_ that made her doubt his plans and motivations. It was the fact that he'd kidnapped her so many times, banter included, that she'd simply gotten _used_ to him, started taking it for granted that he wouldn't _really_ harm her— but now she was starting to wonder whether she knew him at all. Once upon a time, she'd have _never_ believed him capable of destroying Metroman, either…

The percolator sputtered to a stop, then, nearly startling her. Gritting her teeth in annoyance, she grabbed herself a cup and moved to the living room, where she couldn't keep from pacing.

But even with the unsettling question of how it might've ended if she hadn't accidentally revealed his lies, the _worst_ thing was the realization that she actually _missed_ Bernard. For a second the night before, she'd _almost_ picked up her phone to _call_ him simply because she'd gotten so used to consulting with him over various problems. Except he didn't in fact exist.

How could she miss somebody who didn't even _exist_?

The _real_ Bernard she hardly even knew, as he was on the surly and antisocial side, and the _other_ Bernard—

He was just an illusion.

He'd been sensitive, attentive, clever, funny and as concerned for the city's welfare as she was. He'd been a perfectly normal museum worker of average height and build, somebody you wouldn't look at twice in the street…but in _her_ eyes, he and his sweet, excitable face had also become more and more fascinating and irresistible. It'd been as if she'd discovered a hidden gem in the city that nobody else knew about. She'd felt like she'd had somebody backing her up, somebody who was on the same page as she was, somebody she could rely on. A partner.

And then she'd discovered that he was in reality the very thing he'd ostensibly been helping her _fight against_.

He must've laughed at that.

He must've thought it was _hilarious_ that she was being duped like that, _hysterical _that she truly believed or even _hoped_ that she was going to get rid of a powerful, dangerous supervillain with the aid of Bernard, the geeky cataloguer!

She couldn't care how earnestly needy and forlorn he'd looked when she'd asked what he'd hoped to gain, she _couldn't_. He'd tricked her like nobody had managed to before, and even if he regretted it _now_, even if he really _did_ have feelings for her…he was still the monster who'd killed Metro Man and who'd taken over her beloved city, still the monster who made small children cry and grown people fear for their lives.

And he'd still gone about trying to win her affections by making her think she was falling for something good when it wasn't even _real_, let alone _good_! He'd still been manipulating her like some kind of sociopath, prying her private thoughts and emotions out of her one at a time when he must've known _perfectly well_ she'd have _never_ shared them with _him_—

Walking over to the large window in her living room, she felt numb as she looked down at the streets, which were overflowing with garbage again now that the rain had rehydrated it all. Gah! He'd even made it look like he'd genuinely _cleaned up the city—_ just to make her _like_ him! Well, all the crap had certainly been swept out from under the rug _now_.

He must've _laughed_ at her.

He must've.

He was _evil_.

So _why_ had she _looked back_?

That was what bothered her most of all.

As it turned out, though, she began to wonder if she was even _more_ conflicted about him than she'd originally thought. Because when he showed up at her door later that day, frantically ringing her doorbell and pleading for her help…she actually let him _in_.

At least she had a good reason, she reminded herself. As usual, the city needed a hero to save it from one of Megamind's crazy schemes…except _this_ time, the villain and the damsel were the only ones who could do something about it.

Roxanne had no choice.

She hated him just a little for _that_, too.

* * *

**Author's note:** Roxy's speculations about how far Megamind would've gone with her stem from her own understandable sense of shock and fear, not my own personal feelings. I'm guessing Megamind wouldn't have gone _that_ far. I doubt he had it in him to do that. The fact that he told Minion that Roxanne was NEVER going to find out it was really him, though, sorta made it all a bit creepy. Kinda makes you wonder, hence why I mentioned it.

**Edit (added this part): **First _Hal_, and now _this_! What a _spectacular_ evening she'd had! Which other _pleasant little surprises_ did life have in store for her? Because it was already _too much_.


	5. Until Then

**Until Then**

Ninnik Nishukan

* * *

**Summary:**_ "_You know_, _I think there's an apology in order for the other night." Title stolen from the song of the same name by the band Broadcast.

* * *

_I don't want to hurt you__  
__For no reason have I but fear__  
__And I ain't guilty of the crimes you accuse me of__  
__But I'm guilty of fear_

_It Could Be Sweet_, Portishead (1997)

* * *

He couldn't believe he'd managed to even knock on her apartment door after what had happened.

She couldn't believe he'd had the nerve to bother her in her _own home_ after what he'd done.

Yet here they were, they realized, driving off to try to save the city together, just like they had when they were "Bernard and Roxanne".

It wasn't lost on her that the _real_ Bernard was most likely sitting at home, reading a book and letting the city go under with a bored expression on his face. Even if it was all his fault, it was also dawning on her that Megamind could've still just escaped to another city. He didn't _have to_ stay and try to fix this. _Titan_, for example, would've just let the city _burn_.

It wasn't lost on him that he was lucky that she'd even _listened_ to what he'd had to say, let alone actually come _with_ him. He _knew_ it was because she had no choice if she wanted to save the city, but he still secretly wished it also meant he was going to be forgiven. Eventually. Maybe.

There were so many things he wanted to say, but he couldn't seem to think of anything that didn't seem like pathetic begging. Not that he was above begging if that would bring her back, but all the possible things he could say all appeared to be things that would only anger her further and make him seem like he was trying to downplay the magnitude of what he'd done. Part of him just wanted her to yell at him some more, wanted to be punished if that could somehow make things okay between them; part of him knew he deserved it. At the same time, he was still suffering from a wounded heart, and couldn't help wanting to hear her say she was sorry somehow, even if there was no chance in hell for that.

There were so many things she wanted to say. Well, _shout_ actually. Not to mention a few body parts she'd like to clobber with a wrench. Not that she _would_, but it was a strangely placating thought. Mostly, though, she wanted an apology, and none seemed to be forthcoming. She couldn't quite decide if this was because he was just too afraid to talk about it or if he was simply an arrogant ass. At the same time, she was feeling irritatingly guilty, since she could tell he was trying to hide how heart-broken he was. Most of what she'd said had been undeniably justified, but she regretted—

_Do you really think I would ever be with __**you**__?_

—if only because of how devastated it had made him look. Now that he was here, right in front of her again, it was harder to ignore the fact that his feelings had been genuine, and still were. She hated that about herself; that part of her was feeling sorry for him. He'd tricked her and hurt her, and didn't deserve her guilt.

Sensing Roxanne's mood, which had only worsened in the tense, confined space of her car, Megamind had spent the first portion of the car ride looking out the window in silence. Now, he allowed himself to glance at her, surreptitiously studying her profile. "Roxanne, I—" He began, startled by the reedy quality of his own voice. He usually sounded so…so _epic_.

"Well, you got what you _wanted_, Megamind," Roxanne interrupted him grimly, "you're certainly not _predictable_ anymore."

Megamind's mouth snapped shut. He _had_ been wanting that; had been waiting to hear her say that for a long time. The way she _said_ it, however, made it clear that it wasn't a compliment. Cringing, he redirected his gaze out the car window. It didn't occur to him that while he'd shocked and disgusted her with Metro Man's death and the deceit of "Bernard", one of the _other_ reasons he was indeed unpredictable now was the simple fact that he was even _there_, in that car, headed towards finding a cure for the city's problem.

He was silent most of the rest of the way there, but then when she started asking him why he couldn't just _remove_ Hal's powers in the same way he'd granted them, he was bringing up the other night again before she knew it, actually asking her if she'd _ever_ _looked back_, of all things. Since she actually _had_, it struck such a humiliated nerve with her that she snapped. The sound of his ridiculously oversized head hitting the windshield was satisfying.

Megamind dropped all attempts to bring up the subject after that. It was clearly better to be smart and wait until she was less angry this time, no matter how strong the longing was. He wasn't used to having to consider anybody else's feelings much, and had certainly never really felt forced to shut up about anything; these last few weeks had changed _everything_.

As they were walking down the hallway of one of Metro Man's old hideouts, she got tired of waiting and asked for an apology. When Megamind had the _audacity _to assume she meant _she_ was going to apologize to _him_, however, she gave up. In her eyes, she'd made an attempt at extending an olive branch, and he'd taken a blowtorch to it. He really was an egomaniac.

* * *

When it was all over, and he was walking her home through the dark, quiet, confetti-strewn streets of her neighbourhood, itching to hold her hand but not daring to, his buzzing, overwhelmed mind wandered back to that fateful, rainy night, which they still hadn't discussed properly.

It wasn't until that very moment that he finally caught on what she'd _really_ meant when she'd mentioned an apology. He wanted to groan. For such a genius, he had been piteously unperceptive.

Well, he comforted himself, a lot _had_ been going on at the time, so he supposed he couldn't be blamed. He still couldn't quite believe that not only had he never killed Metro Man…but now he'd even _saved_ Metro City?

Glancing down at the pavement, he discovered that the remnants of confetti were in various shades of _blue_.

It was all a bit too much to take in right then. Megamind decided to temporarily put aside the staggering, new redemptional public image (not to mention _self-image_) he was gaining and deal with more pressing matters first.

He'd also "gotten the girl".

_Allegedly_, at least.

"Roxanne," he began, unable to remain unhesitating when faced with discussing the delicate subject of what he'd done…not to mention what was _going to happen_ from now on.

"Yes?" She turned around as she noticed he'd stopped walking, and smiled at him. Understandably, he was still nervous around her, almost as nervous as he was around the crowds of people gathering around him after his victory, and she didn't mind going out of her way to reassure him after everything that had happened. It had been a long day for all of them. Heck, it'd been a long _month_, for that matter.

Now, after everything, she was slowly starting to wonder what life would be like with an ex-villainous alien. Remarkably enough, the thought of their tentatively developing relationship didn't trouble her too much, but perhaps she was still high on adrenaline from the action-packed day. Today had been easy, as they'd been too focused on simply trying to _survive_ to think about anything else.

Roxanne hoped it wouldn't take too long for them both to become comfortable around each other, but it would probably take a lot of work. She was still recovering from the sick feeling she'd gotten from agreeing to cooperate with and still being drawn to what she'd thought was a murderer. When she'd discovered he hadn't killed Metro Man after all, she'd been _indescribably_ relieved. She suspected he felt even _more_ relieved than her about that.

The hero had abandoned them to go do his own thing after practically a lifetime of heroic servitude…and the villain had picked up the slack. She was _still_ trying to come to terms with _that_ one. _Crazy, upside-down world_, indeed!

Megamind returned her smile. He _could_ talk about the two of them now, he remembered. Because now she'd confessed to him that she _had_ looked back. But how to apologize?

Inspiration came to him, then. "I really _will_ clean up the city this time, you know," he murmured, meeting her eyes with resolution. "I _promise_."

To his relief, Roxanne seemed to take this as the apology it was supposed to be, with all of its underlying meaning. He was vowing to change. He was _already_ changing.

Roxanne's smile softened. Although she hadn't quite realized it at the time, the reason she'd still felt drawn to him was that he _hadn't_ been evil, not really. Maybe even _never_. He'd been in some kind of limbo between evil and good, and whether she'd known it or not, she'd become the force that'd been slowly but surely inching him towards a change more fundamental than what he'd managed to do on his own.

_Say I wasn't so normal…say I was bald and had the complexion of a popular primary __colour_, he'd hypothesized, on that last, disastrous date. She should've guessed it, then, she supposed. It hadn't occurred to her later, either, because she'd been too upset. And it was only now that she was starting to appreciate the intention, the hope behind those words; he'd been considering the option of telling her, to stop tricking her…testing the waters to see if she'd still want him if he was completely honest.

Now she could finally feel the knots in her stomach unwinding.

She took his hand, and his mind became fuzzy. He still managed to catch her next words somehow.

"Yeah, I'm sorry, too," she murmured, still smiling fondly at him.

"I'm sorry," Megamind echoed, sighing with content. Even if she'd _understood_, he'd probably regret it if he didn't also speak the apology out loud. Punch-drunk from all this unforeseen affection and forgiveness, Megamind wondered dreamily if it was too soon to try that kissing thing again. It probably _was_, but at least now he had hope for the future. Savoring the feel of her hand in his, he absentmindedly wished he wasn't wearing gloves.

Eventually, Roxanne spoke up again, breaking the serene moment. Gone was the tender, hushed tone; she was sounding quite determined now. He noticed her other hand was on her hip. "But apologies aside— if _you're_ gonna be the new hero, I'm _not _gonna put up with being used as bait every time some new villain wants to challenge you."

Megamind's hand went slack in hers. "Are you saying you don't wish to be _associated_ with me?" He asked, aware that he was starting to sound far too shrill.

"_No_, I'm saying I want some sort of _gun_," she explained, calmly but firmly.

"Gah! I _knew _this was too good to last!" Megamind exclaimed, dropping her hand so he could flail in indignation and defensiveness. "Did I do something wrong_ already_? What did I—" He halted abruptly, then. "…wait, _what_?"

Roxanne smirked. "Well, that's supposed to be the advantage of a mad scientist hero, right? Using your enormous superbrain to produce your own super_brawn_ since, just like the rest of us, Nature didn't give you any?" Tilting her head at him, she regarded his puzzled expression, still amused. "That way you don't actually have to be there _in person_ to protect me, because I can just use your inventions to protect _myself_— just like _you_ do, see?"

"Oh." He blinked. "Oh! Well, of course I could— I have plenty of— of course!" Megamind agreed, regaining confidence; and everywhere that Megamind's confidence went, volume was sure to go. "My, my, _my_, Miss Ritchi, you _are_ a clever one, aren't you? Always thinking of everything!" He waggled his eyebrows briefly at her before letting loose a booming laugh, throwing his arms wide. "Megamind, magnificently intelligent Master of All Mad Science will grant you— _nay_, will _custom-make _your very own marvelously awesome death ray! It will surely be _glorious_!"

Roxanne raised an eyebrow. "_Death_ ray?"

Megamind paused, considering this. "Okay, okay…stun ray? Stun gun?" He suggested skeptically, dropping his arms to his sides. "I don't _know_…maybe good _is_ better than bad, but bad still _sounds_ _cooler_…and old habits die hard!" He added, grumbling.

Chuckling, Roxanne shook her head. She was sure some of those habits would _never_ die, but now that he'd given up evil, she believed she could handle his villainous little quirks and mannerisms. She'd already had _years _to get accustomed to them, after all. "It doesn't necessarily have to be a ray gun. As long as I get something that'll put my would-be kidnappers out of commission _without_ actually _killing_ them, I'm good." Brushing back her bangs and looking pensive for a moment, she went on: "But one of those dehydrators might come in handy, for instance."

Oh, he was really starting to _like_ this. She was asking him to _build_ her stuff, and she _must_ know how much he loved showing off his skills.

A huge grin bloomed on his face. "Just tell me what kind of color you'd like."

Laughing, she took his arm. They chatted the whole way as they continued walking.

**The End.**

* * *

**Author's note: **That's the advantage to having a mad scientist boyfriend when you're the Damsel formerly known as In Distress, right?

I'll be taking a break from fic writing for a few weeks, but I'll be back later.

**Thanks to Masako Moonshade** over at the Megamind Live Journal community. _Currency_ (your fic about Roxanne's damsel role) made me think, so I added this last part about the gun. ;)


End file.
